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"Volunteering at Samaritans has taught me so much. I have learned
how simply asking "How are you doing" can change someone's day. 
I have learned not only how important validation is, but how
significant being an active listener can be in someone's life." 
-Carolina, Pulse Student 2017
In This Issue:
On Monday, April 17, 2017, 19 incredible individuals took on the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in support of Samaritans. Together, the team raised more than $215,000 to support our life saving services, making them one of the top 40 fundraising teams for the entire Boston Marathon.

Thank you to our dedicated team of runners for all of your hard work on and off the course!
Learn more about our 2017 Marathon team members here
Volunteer Appreciation Event appreciation
Thank You to Our Incredible Volunteers!
23,532 hours donated
74,690 Helpline calls answered
1,825 text conversations complete
 
April was National Volunteer Appreciation Month and Samaritans' volunteers are truly incredible. On April 27th we celebrated their accomplishments at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event. Our 2017 Hope Awards went to three remarkable volunteers: Carol, who was recognized for the most donated hours by an adult (260 hours); Isabelle, recognized for most donated hours by a teen (146 hours); and Matt, recognized for most donated overnight hours by an adult (184.5 hours). Attendees delighted in the catering of KO pies and fun raffle prizes. 
 
Volunteers are known by their first name and a  number. The numbers are assigned sequentially, with our founder, Monica Dickens, starting us off as Monica 12. We are up to volunteer number 3414 for our adult volunteers, representing 3,402 volunteers since our founding in 1974 - even more when you add our teen volunteers. Incredible indeed!

As the school year wraps up, we are getting ready to say good-bye to our 29 students from the Boston College PULSE and 4Boston programs.  The PULSE program's mission is to educate students about social injustice.  Community, Spirituality, and Social Justice are the 3 pillars that define the work promoted through the 4Boston program. Both these programs have led to a sustainable and dedicated relationship between Samaritans and Boston College.

We are so lucky to have had the chance to work with Boston College through these two programs by giving volunteers a unique service experience. Their assistance helps create a powerful volunteer community. Samaritans is grateful to have these students contribute over 4,000 hours of service for crisis calls and texts. The dedication and consistency of these volunteers makes our work possible and we are sad to see them go as they fulfill their program commitment.

A very special thank you to our PULSE and 4Boston volunteers! 

If you are interested in volunteering, contact us about attending an information session.
Education and Outreach education
We've had a great beginning of Spring here on the prevention side! Recently we participated in two wonderful community events. The first was a health fair with Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, and there we were able to interact with a large number of elders seeking resources and information from local organizations. It's always a joy to interact with elders and to share our services with them, of which they are always grateful. 

We also participated in a health fair for the Edward M. Kennedy School for Health Careers. It was a fantastic event with a lot of hands-on activities for the students, all related to physical health and emotional wellbeing. Students were very engaged and mature discussing suicide prevention, asked great questions and didn't shy away from the topic. We look forward to continuing our relationship with these two organizations in the years to come!

Lastly, this month both our Grief Support Services department and Lauren Gablinske, Director of Community Education and Outreach, gave workshops to an audience of teachers, school counselors, and coaches at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Associations' mental health summit. It was a powerful day filled with activists within the Massachusetts school systems, all looking to improve mental health among students, and advocate for suicide prevention in their schools.

Suicide prevention training is an essential community need. If your school, company or community organization is interested in arranging a training, you can find more information here, or contact  Lauren.
Upcoming Events  Upcoming

May

 

    

  • Breakfast for Hope - Thursday, May 11th, 7am at The Westin Copley Place. Registration has closed; please contact scahill@samaritanshope.org with any questions.
September
  • Samaritans 5K Run/Walk for Suicide Prevention Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Artesani Park in Brighton!  Registration is now open!
Opportunities at Samaritans! Opportunities
Interested in preventing suicide as a Samaritans' Staff member, volunteer or intern? We are currently accepting applications for: